Denture improvement



Dec. 3, 1968 s. c. PICKERING DENTURE IMPROVEMENT Filed Aug. 16, 1965INVENTOR.

Y mm M MA ES Hf T S 3,413,721 DENTURE IMPROVEMENT Stephen C. Pickering,1627 Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108 Filed Aug. 16, 1965,Ser. No. 479,776 2 Claims. (Cl. 32-2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thepresent invention provides dentures wherein artificial tooth elementsare resiliently mounted, in elastomeric jackets, within suitablereceptacles mounted to and recessed in denture bases or plates The toothelements are articulatively anchored to the receptacles for retentionpurposes and also for predetermining maximum extension of the toothelements from their respective receptacles, and this without deterringboth vertical and lateral, full circle adjustment of individual toothelements during occlusion. The individual tooth elements can comprise atooth veneer and a base filler means which are themselves releasablysecured together for purposes hereinafter delineated.

The present invention relates to dentures both full and partial and,more particularly, to a new and improved denture wherein the toothelements thereof are easily replaceable and are resiliently mounted,this to obtain certain advantages hereinafter detailed.

The structural design of dentures has changed little over the years ofmodern denistry. Tooth elements are conventionally molded solidly intothe acrylic base of the denture being formed.

There has been recognized in the profession the desirability ofduplicating, as far as possible, correct centric occlusion, verticaldimension, and otherwise provide a complement of teeth in the edentulousor partially edentulous oral cavity, to best fit the tissues of thepatient and bring a natural feeling through denture wearing.

Many devices and methods have been developed in the profession tomeasure centric and vertical dimension so as to bring the mandible andmaxilla into correct relationship with each other. However, there isstill present the high prospect of error in these measurements, and noway for the patient to reach a comfortable vertical mesurement; and as aresult, there results excessive bite forces or pressures at non-fittingtooth areas. Also, a very minute error in occlusion, vertical dimension,or both, results in deleterious movements of the upper and lower denturebases over the tissues of the oral cavity, producing soreness in theoral tissues This is because of the fact that the ordinary denture baseis solid and the base and dentitions of rigid construction.

The inventor has conceived that many problems relating either tomalfitting or to rigidity in denture structure can be overcome byemploying a resilient tooth structure which both provides the feel ofnatural teeth, allows for slight adjustment of occlusion and verticaldimension and, additionally, permits easy and rapid substitution oftooth elements without forming new denture bases. Due to the stresses ofmastication being absorbed in the individual resilient teeth, denturebases then have a better chance of remaining in one position anddislodgement from side-to-side is nil. This elimination of movement ofthe denture bases upon the oral tissues assures the patient a healthieroral cavity, free of soreness and hypertrophied tissues.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved structure for dentures.

Another principal object of the present invention is to provide anindividual posterior tooth structure unit renited States Patent PatentedDec. 3, 1968 quired with present laboratory procedures fortry-in-purposes.

An additional object is to provide a denture structure wherein the toothelements mounted therein are slightly adjustable, through resiliency ofthe mountings, during occlusion; this movement brings about a naturalfeeling.

An additional object is to provide a denture wherein tooth elements areeasily replaceable.

An additional object is to provide a denture enabling occlusionadjustment in a natural way through resilient mounting of teeth to theirbase fittings.

An additional object is to provide tooth-mounting structures which areaeasily assemblable, disassemblable, and replaceable as needed.

A further object is to provide a denture which can be easily worked in alaboratory in a minimum of time to replace tooth elements and theirmounts, and place a new neoprene or rubber unit to restore resiliency tothe tooth unit.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further object and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a representative artificialdentition assembly or tooth means utilizable in practicing the presentinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 in FIGURE 1, withthe denture base being shown in phantom lines for clarity of detail.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale with reference toFIGURE 2 of a ring member which is preferably incorporated in the toothveneer structure in practicing the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan of the receptacle member used in the dentitionassembly of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is a representative half of an elevation, shown in section, ofcertain laboratory structure and materials in forming the denture.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the completeddenture incorporating the resiliently mounted dentition assembly asfully disclosed herein.

While it will be understood that the present invention is applicable tothe fabrication of both upper and lower dentures, either full orpartial, for convenience of explanation and clarity of understanding theinvention the same will be described in terms of an entirely edentulousoral condition.

First, of course, the teeth are extracted and the gingival tissuesutured in place and allowed to heal. An alginate impression is thentaken of the edentulous areas, and from the impression dental stonepositives are poured. These take the form of the persons upper and loweraws.

From the dental stones respective bite blocks are made up. These arefabricated from well-known plastic materials which are heated andpressed over the dental stone models to assume the configuration of thelatter. Subsequently, a thickness of wax is caused to adhere to theouter surface of the plastic to form a soft, denturereceiving portion ofthe bite block concerned.

Both bite blocks are taken to the patients mouth and suitably fittedthrough trimming of the wax, and this done in such a manner that aproper vertical or vertical dimension is maintained. (This vertical isusually determiied by a predetermined desired vertical distance between,say, the tip of the patients nose and a selected point on his chin.)Additionally, through proper fitting an appropriate centric relationshipbetween the two bite blocks is also achieved during this fitting.

The bite blocks are then removed from the patients mouth in one piece(i.e. with the two wax surfaces being adhered together), and the samereinstalled on their dental stones and are inserted into a conventionalhinged articulator, with the wax bite blocks being maintained togetherin their adhered condition. The dental stones are caused to adhere tothe upper and lower plates or portions of the articulator through asuitable type of plaster adherence agent. When this plaster has set up,then the upper and lower bite blocks are separated. They can be movedapart and yet caused to approach each other through the conventionalhinged movement of the articulator.

The bite blocks are left in the articulator, the latter is opened, andthe front teeth including the cuspids are installed in the wax in aconventional manner. For such installation a heated spatula isordinarily used. At this time the technician is prepared to install theposterior teeth which will include the molars and the bicuspids. At thispoint it is to be observed that it is very much preferred for theposterior teeth to enjoy a spaced relationship with respect to eachother. This prevents food from matting on the masticating surfaces werethe teeth to assume a contiguous relationship. Further, separation ofthe teeth enables automatic anterior and posterior adjustments of theteeth of the present invention as may be needed for correct centricocclusion.

Dentition or tooth assembly includes a respective tooth veneer 11, areceptacle 12, resilient elastomeric jacket 13, filler means 14, stemmember 15, and cap 16.

Specifically, receptacle 12 is provided with a cylindrical body portion18 and a flange portion 19 which is formed downwardly at 20. Upstandingfrom the bottom 21 of receptacle 12 is a retainer 22 comprising a T-bartype retainer portion 23 and a shank 24. Resilient jacket 13 is securedto filler means 14 by means of dipping, by pressfit, or by using anepoxy glue or other type of cementitious agent. Filler means 14 itselfis comprised of suitable rigid thermo-setting or other plastic. Moldedinto filler means 14 is the stem member which is suitably retained inplace by protuberances 25. Tooth veneer 11 is provided with an annularseat 26 for receiving O-ring neoprene seal 27. The tooth veneer itselfis shown to include a tooth member 28 and the cap 16. The latterincludes depending boss 29 having undercut slot 30 for receiving theT-bar head 31 of stem member 15. The upper surface 32 of cap 16 alsoincludes small detents 33 which are diametrically opposed, see FIGURE 1,and which are constructed for receiving a spanner wrench, for rotationpurposes. The combination of resilient jacket 13 and filler means 14 issuch, see FIGURE 2, that retainer portion 23 of receptacle 12 is easilyinserted through jacket recess aperture A into filler means 14 and thelatter twisted, say 90, so that a releasable retention, by retainermember 23 and space S as an anchoring means, is enjoyed by thecombination of filler means 14 and resilient jacket 13. The space S ispreferably configured to allow for maximum compression of the resilientjacket at base portion J thereof. In construction of the tooth veneerused, it is preferred that the same include a ring 35, see also FIGURE3, which includes arcuate inclined surfaces 36 and 37, shoulders 38 and39, terminal portions 40 and 41, and detent recesses 42 and 43. Thelatter accommodate depending protuberances 44 and 45 of cap 16. FIGURE5, finally, illustrates in plan the structure of the receptacle 12. Asseen in FIGURE 2, space preferably exists between shank 24 and thesurrounding wall of the filler means 14 to further accommodatearticulative lateral movement of the composite tooth, relative to thebase, thereby permitting the tooth to adjust during bite in lateral aswell as vertical directions.

It should be kept in mind that the dentition assembly 10 serves as aunit and will preferably be molmwd on an appropriate card for retrievalin the dentists or technicians oflice.

In returning now to a consideration of the practice of the invention itwill be recalled that the bite blocks have been previously secured inthe articulator and the front teeth including the cuspids installed inthe wax portions of the two bite blocks. At this point the dentitionassemblies simulating the posterior teeth are next installed in the biteblocks, this by using a heated spatula in the usual manner of insertingartificial teeth into the Wax of the bite block. The dentitionassemblies or artificial teeth are inserted into the wax until the lowersurfaces S of receptacle 12 come in contact therewith.

Once all of the posterior teeth have been inserted in both bite blocks,then the bite blocks are removed from the articulator, i.e. are releasedfrom the stone models, and adjusted in the patients mouth for the propervertical and for proper occlusion. Once this is completed then the biteblocks are returned to the articulator and reinstalled on the stonemodels.

At this point the wax portions of the bite blocks are contoured by thetechnicians so that they will simulate as nearly as possible thegingival tissue of the patient.

We arrive now at the point wherein the technician removes the biteblocks with the dental stones from the articulator and gently removesthe posterior dentition assemblies 10 from the mockup. This must be donecarefully so as not to disturb the setting of the various receptacles 12in the wax. This is done by the technician using a spanner wrench, forexample, and rotationally displacing the cap 16 in a clockwisedirection, looking down. It will be noted that this produces adisengagement of protuberances 44 and 45 from detent recesses 42 and 43so that the former slide down the inclined planes 36 and 37. Suchreleases the holding action of boss 29 upon the lower surface ofretainer portion 31 of the stem 15 and, correspondingly, effects arealignment of the stem with respect to slot Y so that there can beeffected a disengagement of cap 16 from the retainer portion 31 of stem15.

At this point the cap is easily disengaged from stem member 15 andremoved from the structure. This enables the tooth veneers 11 in theirentirety to be removed from the assembly. Subsequently the filler means14 with its resilient jacket 13 can also be removed. It will be recalledthat these two are preferably adhered together and that sufficientclearance or non-friction quality is provided between the surfaces ofthe resilient jacket and receptacle 12 so that the filler means 14 forthis jacket is easily removed from the receptacle.

In the above manner all of the tooth assemblies will be removed, leavingonly their receptacles 12 in place in the wax.

At this point the technician installs cylindrical members 52; these areappropriately contoured at 53 to receive and lock in place therespective retainer portions 23 in a manner similar to that performedwith reference to filler means 14. Members 52 will preferably have a lowcoefiicient of thermal expansion so that the application of heat theretowill not materially alter its transverse periphery.

The dentures are next processed separately by putting a selected one ofthe same into a conventional flask F. Once inserted in the flask aquantity of white plaster 55 is inserted therein and adheres to dentalstone DS, its upper surface level being at 56. Subsequently, aconventional separating medium 57 is placed on the set plaster 56.Additional white plaster at 58 is inserted into the flask and thislatter plaster assumes a level at 59 which engages the serrated pins 60associated with members 52.

At this point the flask is heated so as to soften the wax at W. Then theflask is opened and the wax removed in the conventional manner;additionally, the denture is completely freed of wax through the use ofconventional solvents. Of course, this will be accompanied by theremoval of the remainder of the bite block. At this point the acrylicwill be poured or otherwise placed into the wax void and formed thereinin a conventional manner, and the flask closed. Repeated closings andworkings may be necessary in order to minimize flashing, bubbles, and soforth.

When flash has been reduced as necessary, the flask is clamped andheated to a high degree in order to subject the acrylic bore to itsfinal cure. It is to be noted that were the dentition veneers and theremaining parts of the assembly to remain in the assemblies then thefinal curing of the acrylic would damage the O-ring seal and also aresilient neoprene jacket 13. This is precluded in the presentinvention; yet, relative positioning of the dentitions maintainedthrough the use of member(s) 52 in FIG- URE 6.

The denture is finally removed from the fiask and finished in the usualmanner. The posterior dentition assemblies will be reinstalled in theirreceptacles in the manner shown in FIGURE 2 so that the denture willappear as indicated in FIGURE 7. The denture is now ready for finalfitting in the patients mouth.

It is to be noted in the present invention that the spacing of theposterior teeth and the inclusion of resilient jacket 13 provides forlight adjustments of the teeth during occlusion so that the proper biteis maintained. Other advantages reside in the tendency toward preclusionof movement of the denture bases during occlusion and a resultingpreservation of the health of oral tissues. It is noted that the toothveneer 11 can be easily replaced by mere removal of cap 16 in the mannerheretofore indicated and replacement of a veneer in the above describedmanner; further, tooth adjustment during Occlusion can be accommodatedalong a 360 circle. The resilient jacket 13 and O-ring 27 can be easilyreplaced as needed through wear.

It is finally to be observed that the posterior teeth can be replaced asneeded without the necessity of reforming the denture base.

Additionally, the vertical of the patient can be adjusted through theuse of veneers of varying thicknesses at 11.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in theappended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A denture including, in combination, a base contoured to fit the jawof a wearer, said base being provided with a tooth receptacle; aresilient, elastomeric jacket disposed Within said receptacle and havinga base portion anchoring means access aperture; artificial tooth meansfittingly disposed Within said resilient jacket, said tooth means andbase being provided with mutually cooperating articulative anchoringmeans for articulatively anchoring said tooth means to said base andvertical and horizontal adjustment means to permit the disposition ofsaid tooth means to adjust in both vertical and lateral, full-circledirections under bite pressure, against the resiliency of said resilientjacket, said anchoring means being disposed through said accessaperture, said resilient elastomeric jacket positioned in abuttingrelationship with the bottom and said walls of said tooth receptacle.

2. A denture including, in combination, a base contoured to fit the jawof a wearer, said base being provided with a tooth receptacle; aresilient, elastomeric jacket disposed within said receptacle and havinga base portion anchoring means access aperture; artificial tooth meansfittingly disposed Within said resilient jacket, said tooth means andbase being provided with mutually cooperating anchoring means forarticulatively anchoring said tooth means to said base to permit thedisposition of said tooth means to adjust in both vertical and lateral,full-circle directions under bite pressure, against the resiliency ofsaid resilient jacket, said anchoring means being disposed through saidaccess aperture, said resilient elastomeric jacket positioned inabutting relationship with the bottom and side walls of said toothreceptacle; said tooth means including filler means disposed within andcontiguous with said resilient jacket and twistably releasably anchoredto said receptacle, and a tooth veneer having a working surface disposedexterior of said base, said filler means and said tooth veneer includingmutually interco-operable means for mutually releasably securing saidtooth veneer to said filler means after said filler means is releasablyanchored to said receptacle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 583,565 6/1897 Carr 325 744,29111/1903 Carr 32--5 1,105,476 7/1914 Withycombe 322 XR 1,219,019 3/1917Magnus 322 1,333,007 3/1920 Withycombe 322 XR 2,187,426 1/ 1940 Kuhnel24221 2,291,975 8/ 1942 Minero 24-221 XR 2,574,810 11/1951 Baumgardner32-2 2,577,769 12/1951 Kane 322 2,641,802 6/1953 Grant 322 XR 2,799,9327 1957 Lester 32--2 2,880,508 4/1959 Lester 322 3,343,262 9/1967 Burg322 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

S. NATTER, Assistant Examiner.

